Flexible convex tile roofing.



F. C. OVERBURY & H. C. PLATTS.

FLEXIBLE CONVEX TILE ROOFING.

APPLICATION msn APRJ. |914.

wanted oct. 26, 1915.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

. WEEE convex EJLE Ecorntc.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, FREDERICK C. @ven- Bnnr and HOWARD CARLETONlPLrfrs, citizensof the United States, and residents, respectively, of4New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, and ofRutherford, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and usefulv llmprovementsin- Flexible Convex TileRoofing, (Case F,`) of whlch the :following is a specification. y

This invention has for its object. to pro vide a roofcoveringwhich canbe lald to produce the ornamental ed'ect of tiles.

Roofing tiles have heretofore been c ast or molded of clay orequivalent-composition 1n rigid form and produce'an appearance ofsolidity and a highly ornamental edect when in keeping with thearchitectural design of the building. Such tiles, however,

are relatively expensive to the user yboth on account ofthe cost ofproduction, the breakage, and the weight which adds to the cost `andweatherproof and substantiall of transportation.

Our purpose is to produce a dexlble nonmetallic tile, which can beproduced in large quantities at low cost, whlch is waterplf'oof proof,which can be produced in different colors, and which is light in weightland easilyv laid. l J l 0n the drawing- Figure 1 showsa portion of aroof provided with tiles embodying our invention. Fig. 2 shows anotherform of the tileembodying our invention. Fig. shows hovvl the tiles maybe bent. at the eaves. Fig. 4 represents a cross sectlon through a tileand illustrates a crimped or ribbed blank for supporting the convexportion of the tile. Fig.l 5 represents a perspective view of the ribbedblank. Fig. 6 shows the tile itself as provided with a portion whichsupports the convex Vportion thereof. Fi ofgthe roof. Fig. 8 shows amagnied section through a bent portionof one of the preferably saturatedor impregnated with va 7 represents a cross section at the ridge lwaterproof compound, such asa hydrocarbon having a relatively lowmelting point. One or both sides of the blank is coated with a'relatively thick coating or layer of weatherproof material, such as apitch or bitumen having a relatively high melting point so that it willnot be affected by solar heat. This outer coating is preferably appliedafter 'being heated to a soft and plastic state, but it may vbeV mixedwith a volatile solvent and applied cold. Any suitable composition,which will serve the purpose, may be employed for the outer facing `orcoating. Preferably, the coating substance or compound has thoroughlymixed with it a suitable `inert pigment, such, for example, as groundhematite ore, to color it and to add th(` fire-resistant qualities ofthe tile.

When a blank or weatherproof coverin is made as we have described, it isiexible and pliable, but, after thecoating has set or hardened, itcannot be bent atl a sharp angle without'danger of cracking and break#ing the outer coating, a fact which is recognized by those familiar withthis art. .But

we have found that, when the coating is coating or facing, and that, ifthe stretched or elongated coating be allowed to set or harden, thereisformed what may be termed a hinge, at the bend; and that, when thematerial is subsequently bent back and forth about the line of thehinge, the coatingwill not break or crack.

- Patented tiet. 2e, TFT."

We have illustrated conventionally in l 8, a portion of a sheet,somewhat magnilie in which the impregnated body a has'the two coatingsor facings b, c of weatherproof compound. When the material is bent, theouter coating is stretched or elongated at b and is compacted andcorrugated at c. When the coatings have been permitted to set or harden,the sheet may be straightened without cracking the coatin at b.

' Preferably the felt foun ation is'either two ply or three ply, socalled but, in

either event, it is thin as compared with a .clay tile, and when laidwould not form marked division lines 4between the tiles of a verticalrow, z'. e., a rowoftiles extending 4froth the eaves toward the ridge.To over come this defect, we have found that, by bendingv under thelower portion of the tile toform a fold inthe material, an edge ofsullicient thickness is produced to form a shadow, and tol give the tilean appearance of considerable thickness and solidity.

On the drawings, the supporting wooden v `structure of the roof isindicated at 10, and

upon it are placed the tiles in what may be termed horizontal andvertical rows. Each tile consists of `a blank of the material described,said blank being substantially rectangularin shape. While the coating issoft .and plastic Y lits;,lower edge portion is folded under the "bodyportion thereof, and then, by any suitable means, the tile is bent intoshape and the coating permitted to set. As shown in Fig. 1, the blank atone side portion is bent or folded at 12 and 13 to form we provide meansfor sustaining and supporting the curved body portion. The supportingmeans may consist of wooden strips placed upon the roof structure orsupports `within or under the an y side portion of the other, so thatbetween the formed of flexible material such as that of which the tilesare made, or supports form# ing integral portions of the tilesthemselves. Wooden bars or strips are indicated at 17 in Figsi/lV and 2.In Figs. 4 and 5, the supports are made of sheets or strips which arebent or folded on longitudinal lines to form.

flat'side edges which may be secured to the roof structure and one ormore upstanding angularribs 19 with which the concave surfaces of thewide curved ribs 16 engage.

But, as shown in Fig. 6, the rib supports maybe formed integrally withthe tile, in

which case the tile is bent under Aupon itself at 20, and the bent-under portion is so formedy as to provide the upstanding angular ribs21, 21 under the curved rib 16 and with the portions conforming to andfitting under the angular ribs of the body portion of the tile.

In laying the tiles, the supports for the curved ribs (if separate fromthe tiles) are first secured to the roof structure in parallelism at theproper distance from each other.

1 Then a horizontal row of tiles is placed on the roof with the sideportion of one overlapping the side portion of the one onthe rightthereof. They may be laterally overlapped, as shown in Fig. 1, so thatthe angular rib on the right side option of one lies ar rib on the leftwide curved ribs there is a single angular rib. Or, if desired, they maybe laid as shown in Fig. 2, in which case the marginal edge portion 22extends into the concavity formed lby the angular rib of the nextadjacent tile,.so that two angular ribs are providedbetween the adjacentcurved ribs. As the tiles are laid, nails or other fastenings are driventhrough the upper portions of the tiles at any convenientpoints, asindicated y at 23, where they will becovered by the tiles of the nexthigher horizontal row. Then the next horizontal row of tiles is laid inthe same manner, but so as to overlap the tiles already laid and so asto cover the nails orother fastenings by which the latter were securedin place. The tiles of each succeeding row are laid so that the angularand curved ribs register with those of the preceding row. When the ridgeis reached, the ridge is covered by overlapping tiles 24, the sideportions of which are folded back and forth as shown in Fig. 7 to formthick edges, and secured by fastenings 25.

At the eaves, the lower portions of the tiles of the rst row are slitalong the lines of the bends 13 and 14 to form two flaps 26, 27 whichare bent at 28, 29 so as to overlap, as shown in Fig. 3, to close therecess formed by the ribs,` and their corners are secured to `the end ofthe roof structure 10 by fastenings 30. They are also slit and bent toform overlapping flaps 31, 32 and 33 to close the recess formed by thecurved ribs, and said flaps are fastened to the roof structure. Theflaps may be riveted together at 34, or nailed to the support 17, andthe flaps 31, 32 may be nailed to the end ofthe roof structure as shownat 35, 36.

A roof provided with tiles as described is ornate, and presents anappearance of thickness and solidity. The tiles are easil laid withoutrequiring great skill and without the expenditure of much time, as will'be readily appreciated. The degree of curvature of the curved ribs maybe varied by placing the supports at different distances from eachother, and thus having the angular ribs closer together or fartherapart.

For shipment,the tiles may be flattened and packed together, withoutdanger of cracking or breaking the coatin thereon. The folded-underportions of t e tiles so strengthened and stiiened Vthem that theymaintain the ribs in their curved contours, after they are oncesecuredin place.

Having thus explained the nature of our said invention, and described away .of making and using the same, although without `attempting to setforth all of the forms in which it may be madeor all of the modes of itsuse, what we claim is:

1. A laterally extensible roofing tile formed of non-metallic flexible'material coated with a waterproof compound, said tile having a'folded-under lower edge portion, side portions bent to form upstanding`gibs, and an intermediate upstanding con-y 2. A roof comprising aplurality of parallel spaced supports, an'd a plurality of non-metallicflexible tiles each having a coatin@ of waterproofing compound, saidtiles belng laid in horizontal rows with one row overlapping thepreceding row, and with the tiles of each row laterally lapping eachother, said tiles having convex curved ribs bridging said supports.

3. A roof comprising a plurality of nonmetallic flexible fibrous tileseach having a coating `of waterproofing compound, said tiles being laidin horizontal rows with one row overlapping the preceding row, each tilehaving lapped side portions bent to form flexibly connected upstandingribs, and havf ing an intermediate conveXly curved upstanding rib, theseveral ribs of the tiles in one row overlapping and formingcontinuations of the ribs of the tiles of the preceding row or rows.

4. A roof comprising a plurality of non- Inetallic flexible tiles eachhaving a coating of waterproong compoundfsaid tiles being laid inhorizontal rows with one row overlapping the preceding row, each tilehaving lapped side portions bent to form upstanding ribs, and having anintermediate conveXly curved upstanding rib, the several ribs of thetiles in one row overlapping and forming continuations of the ribs ofthe tiles of the preceding row or rows, and parallel supports beneaththe curved ribs and concealed thereby.

5. A roof comprising a plurality of nonmetallic flexible tiles eachhaving a coating of waterproofing compound, said tiles being laid inhorizontal rows with one row overlapping the preceding row, each tilehaving lapped side portions bent to form upstanding ribs, and having anintermediate conveXly curved upstanding rib, the several ribs of thetiles in one row overlapping and forming continuations of the ribs ofthe tiles of the precedin row or rows, and parallel supports of exiblematerial bent to form ribs which support and are concealed by saidcurved ribs. y

6.. A. roof comprising a plurality of tiles formed of flexiblenon-metallic material coated with a Waterproof compound, said tilesbeing arranged in horizontal rows and with lapping side edges, and withtheir lower ends overlapping the upper portions of the tiles of thepreceding row, said tiles being formed with upstanding ribs, and withunderfolded lower edge portions extending from one side edge to theother.

lln testimonv whereof we have ailiXed 4our signatures, in presence oftwo witnesses.

FREDERICK C. OVERBURY. HOWARD CARLETON PLA'lF'lFSy.

Witnesses;

F. F. HOOKER, e L. B. FANGER.

